Jacob capeon



J. OAPR'ON. Speaking-Tubes.

No. 223,434. Patented Jan. 13, 1880.

Fig- 2. Fig. 5.

VYI/TNEESLE/EE INVENTDFK! w JACOB CAPRON,

Jfhflzadbl EL UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JACOB OAPBON, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y.

SPEAKING-TUBE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 223,434, dated January 13, 1880.

Application filr d December 12, 1879 To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J A0013 CAPRON, of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Annunciators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention consists, mainly, first, in. the combination of the opening of a speakingpipe with an independent unattached covering-plate and certain means for holding the same in its proper position, the construction being such that when the plate is acted upon by an air-current in the tube the same will become disengaged and fall by its own weight; and, second, in the combination, with the drop plate, of certain special mechanism for giving an alarn'i.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of my invention, the coveringplate being representedin its normal position; Fig. 2, a similar view after the covering-plate has been acted upon by the air current and has fallen into its first position to give an alarm Fig. 3, a similar view with the covcringplate moved into its second position to expose the opening into the pipe and cause the alarmsound to cease; Fig. 4, a side elevation of the same, the covering-plate being represented in its normal position; Fig. 5, a side elevation of the same in section, the covering-plate being shown in the proper position to give an alarm; and Fig. 6, a front elevation of a series of annuuciators.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will now proceed to describe fully its construction and manner of operation.

A, Figs. 4 and 5, represents a socket-piece, consisting of a tube of suitable diameter and length, which is adapted to be readily slipped over the lower end of the ordinary speakingpipe.

a, Figs. 1 and 5, represents a face-plate properly secured to the mouth of the tube at right angles thereto, which -is provided with the bottom flange, a, and the side flanges, M, with overhanging edges a as shown.

B, Fig. 5, represents a spring-plate, which is secured to the rear side of the face-plate a by means ofaset-screw, b, and rubber blocks 1), in such manner as to be entirely insulated therefrom.

b represents a projection extending from the free end of the spring at right angles thereto, which is provided at its extreme end with a double incline, L as shown. This extreme end, it will be observed, projects through a proper opening in the face-plate into the space in front of the same, as shown.

Y) represents a suitable wire, which is attached at one end to the plate B and at the other to a battery and electric bell of the usual well-known or any other proper construction. I) also represents a wire, attached at one end to the tube A, which also leads to the battery. Although these wires are both in communication with the battery the connection is not complete, because the spring-plate I5, which forms the termination of one of these, is insulated from the face-plate and the tube which forms the termination of the other.

The face-plate, of course, may be numbered, if desired, to indicate the number of the room from whieh'its speaking-pipe leads.

0, Figs. 1 and 5, represents a plate adapted in width to slide freely in the grooves of the side flanges of the face-plate, and in height to cover, when properly in place, the opening of tube A.

0 represents a flange upon its upper edge, which is of the proper width to bear upon the frontand rear faces of the grooves and properly guide the plate in its vertical movement therein. The lower end of the plate, it will be observed, is without this flange, and hence it is capable of vibrating between the front and rear faces of the grooves. for purposes hereinafter explained.

c, Fig. 1, represents a recess or cut-away place upon one side of the plate, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. 0 Fig. 4, represents a block located on the rear side of the plate, at its lower edge, which is provided with an inclined face, o Fig. at, as shown.

0*, Figs. l and 2, represents a knob or handle, by means of which the plate is readily manipulated, as will be hereinafter described.

When the parts are properly united and in their normal position the plate 0 rests in the grooves of the face-plate in such position as to ICC cover the pipe-opening, as shown in Fig. 1, it being held in this position by the block 0 which extends into the tube and bears upon its lower side, as shown in Fig. 4.

D, Fig. 1, represents a screw orother proper means of fastening, by means of which the plate 0, when inserted in place, is held against accidental displacement.

The operation is substantially as follows: A person in a room desiring to communicate with a person below blows through the tube in the usual manner. By means of the air-current thus produced the lower end ot' the plate 0 is moved away from the opening of the tube far enough to 'disen gage the block 0 resting therein, and hence the plate, being now unsupported, falls by its own weight. Its de scent, however, is arrested, before the bottom of the grooved is reached, by the piece b of the stn'ing-plate B, which projects into the line of its movement, as shown, and supports the same, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. When thus held the plate O, by contact with the projecting piece 0 and by contact also with the face-plate, completes the connection with the battery, and hence causes the alarm-bell to sound in the usual well-known manner. By this means the attendant is called to the tube, and the plate 0, then being depressed by him to the bottom of the grooves, as shown in Fig. 3, the spring-plate B readily yielding for this purpose, the opening will be exposed for the purpose of communication, aremovable monthpiece being inserted into the tubetor that purpose. By depressing the plate 0 to the bottom of the grooves the connection with the battery will be broken again, so that the alarm will cease to sound, this result being produced because the plate 0 is no longer in contact with the piece b the latter projecting into the recess, as shown. YVhen the speakers have tinished their conversation the plate 0 is returned to its normal position by the attendant.

It will be observed that when the cover-plate rests upon the spring-plate, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and consequently is sounding the alarm, the opening into the tube is not yet exposed, and that hence the entrance thereinto of the air of the room is not permitted until the tube is actually in use, by which means the ascent of bad air to the rooms above is prevented to a certain extent.

The described device maybe used singly, of course, or in sets, in the n'lanner well understood. When used in the latter manner the number of each room is located on the faceplate of the proper tube in rear of the covering-plate when the latter is in its normal po sition, so thatby the descent of the same it will be uncovered and exposed to view.

If desired, a mechanical alarm apparatus may be employed in connection with the dropplate, instead of the electrical alarm.

The construction described is exceedingly simple, and yet very ctt'ective in its operation.

I am aware that hinged valves tbrspcakingtubes are old, and also a sliding cover-plate adapted to be actuated by the hand, and these features, of course, I do not claim; but,

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The described method of actuating the covering-plate of a speaking-tube, consisting, essentially, of the following series of steps: first, moving the cover-plate away from the tube-opening by an air-blast tor the purpose of disengaging the same from its support; second, arresting the initial movementby suitable stops for the purpose of changing its direction; aml,third, effecting a secondary movement in a vertical direction to cause engagement with an alarm apparatus.

2. In combination with the end of a speaking-tube, a t'aceilate having an indicatingnumber a-l'l'ixed thereto, a sliding cover-plate, substantially as described, and devices for properly guiding the same, the construction being such that the cover-plate is adapted to be actuated to expose the number by an airblast, as described.

3. In combination with the face-plate having the tube and guiding-grooves, the dropplate having the supporting-block 0 as de scribed.

4. In combination with the drop-plate having the recess, the spiing-platel), as described.

5. in combination with the end of a speakingtube, as described, a cover-plate and a stop for arresting the movement of the cover-plate and holding the same in position before the opening into the tube, as and for the purpose described.

This specification signed and witnessed this 17th day of June, 1878.

J A6013 OAPRON.

Witnesses:

CHAS. F. Mvsns, WrLsoN M. POWELL. 

